You can find a lot of locations all over the united states that can be viewed as top 10 places to live depending on the time of the year and the interests of people currently living there.
#1 Plymouth, MN Topnotch schools, good jobs, affordable housing, low crime, an active outdoor culture - yep, they're pretty much all here. Plymouth could have become just another Twin Cities suburb, but more than 50,000 jobs keep residents working there. more...
#2 Fort Collins, CO One of the first things you notice about this Rocky Mountain city is that practically every new road has a bike lane. Even the wheelless can get in on the action now that Fort Collins has a bike library: Residents and visitors can check out a bicycle for up to seven days, free. more...
#3 Naperville, IL It's no wonder Naperville has made Money's Best Places list three times now. The walkable downtown area is packed with restaurants and shops. The popular Riverwalk is a nearly two-mile brick path that follows the DuPage River's course through town. more...
#4 Irvine, CA Long before developers embraced the idea of mixed-use communities, there was Irvine. It was born in the 1960s, when the University of California commissioned architect William Pereira to design a new campus and town. Today, its population hovers around 200,000, yet it feels much smaller thanks to its tight-knit neighborhoods and more than 16,000 acres of green space. more...
#5 Franklin Township, NJ When you hear the phrase "primeval old-growth forest," chances are New Jersey doesn't spring immediately to mind. But the state known for jokes about its mammoth turnpike does in fact boast such a pristine wilderness: a 65-acre one in Franklin Township. more...
#6 Norman, OK Sit down for lunch at Café Plaid in Norman and you'll see a little of everything: mothers with babies, students with laptops, and out-of-towners visiting the University of Oklahoma across the street. People flock to Norman from around the world to study and teach - and then to stay and raise a family. more...
#7 Round Rock, TX Once merely a bedroom community of Austin, Round Rock today is very much its own city thanks largely to three things: affordable housing, excellent schools and computer maker Dell, which has established its headquarters here. more...
#8 Columbia/Ellicott City, MD One of the nation's oldest settlements (it was founded in 1772), Ellicott City snuggles up to one of its newest, Columbia (a planned community conjured up out of 14,000 acres of farmland in 1967). This duo remains a perennial contender on our Best Places list thanks to its mix of charm, comfort and careful zoning. more...
#9 Overland Park, KS Overland Park's flat terrain and grid layout don't provide much drama, but for its residents, reasonable housing prices, good jobs and proximity to Kansas City, Mo. are excitement enough. more...
#10 Fishers, IN Fishers is growing fast, attracting residents who are young (median age: 30) and smart (over 60% have a bachelor's degree or more). It has the range of pluses common among our top 10, including a strong economy (lots of life-science companies are moving in), low home prices ($149,700 for the typical house) and good schools (they get high rankings in the state). more...